Brian Kelly is out at LSU four years into a massive 10-year contract. The university fired the head coach Sunday evening after a blowout 49-25 loss to the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies in Baton Rouge. The defeat dropped the Tigers to 5-3, crushing their hopes for an SEC championship appearance and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
However, the decision has a staggering financial consequence that highlights the immense pressure on coaching in the SEC.
How Much Will Firing Brian Kelly Actually Cost LSU?
After serving just four years of his 10-year contract, Kelly’s departure leaves LSU with a mammoth $54 million buyout, a decision made by athletic director Scott Woodward. This situation becomes even more financially daunting when considering the school’s recent history with coaching changes.
Following Brian Kelly’s firing on Sunday, Wilson Alexander, a reporter for “NOLA.com,” revealed on X that the Tigers could be responsible for up to $71 million in buyouts owed to former coaches. The final buyout payment for former LSU coach Ed Orgeron, who was let go in 2021, is due in December. The program faces a significant financial burden with Kelly’s $54 million added to the ledger.
“A note on LSU’s buyouts: its last payment to Ed Orgeron is due in December. And now, just as that comes off the books, the school has to pay Brian Kelly. Depending on negotiation results or mitigation, it could spend roughly $71 million in dead money over 10 years on them,” Alexander tweeted.
A note on LSU’s buyouts: its last payment to Ed Orgeron is due in December. And now, just as that comes off the books, the school has to pay Brian Kelly.
Depending on negotiation results or mitigation, it could spend roughly $71 million in dead money over 10 years on them.
— Wilson Alexander (@whalexander_) October 28, 2025
Other coaches in the conference did not underestimate the high-stakes nature of the job. During his weekly news conference ahead of a clash with the Florida Gators, Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart sympathized with Kelly’s plight at LSU and acknowledged the immense pressure of leading the Tigers.
“It’s the world we live in,” Smart said. “At this time in the middle of the season, I think there’s so much built around the playoffs. It’s like everything is boom or bust, and you can’t have a normal season.”
“I know it’s high expectations. I coached at LSU, and a guy once told me, ‘That office you’re in, that’s not your office. You’re borrowing it.’ And I knew right then, if you didn’t win, you wouldn’t be there long.”
Kelly became the 10th FBS coach to be fired during this calendar year. He left Baton Rouge with a 34-14 record, which included a trip to the SEC championship game in 2022 but, crucially, no College Football Playoff berths.
